Jamie, a VG Tips member writes:- “Can I just take this time to thank you for your hard work this week. I profited this week from your selections. It’s the most I have profited in any horse racing bets placed. Your analysis is brilliant to read. Here’s to more winners this year. “

You certainly may, Jamie.

As any regular punter or tipster knows, spending your days sat in a room staring at racecards, watching back replays of past races, studying the form of jockeys, trainers, horses, footballers and football teams can be a lonely business. It can leave you feeling like you are living in a parallel universe.

So when my lovely and loyal members of VG Tips get in touch, it is reassuring. Be they asking for advice, querying a tip or sending compliments, it’s good to know that they are out there and interacting.

Since the culmination of the 2018 Cheltenham Festival, I have been inundated with praise, compliments and a stable full of “thank you’s” for 10 winners and 8 profitable punts on horses that were placed at each way prices.

Early on in the festival, Paul was quick to get in touch:- “Like to say thanks, obviously, for the winners. But it’s really helped me stick to a sensible betting plan. Often I’d put my bets on, then see on Twitter so and so is napping this, another guy had some winners, he’s backing that. End up all over the place. But this year I’ve managed to bank my Cheltenham betting bank already.”

First race. First winner. Summerville Boy, tipped when 10/1, was one of 10 winning tips at the Cheltenham Festival

Brian is a positive member of VG Tips. A glass half full chap. Despite suffering in freezing Aberdeen, he managed to enjoy the festival. He e-mailed me to say:-

“Would just like to say a big thanks for all your efforts and for a fantastic festival. Truly amazing selections. Your approach was second to none.”

Chris got in touch to pass on these nice words:- “Thank you Vernon, for the epic work you produced to make all of us enjoy a fantastic festival. Given the ground conditions it was good to watch how most of the horses and jockeys do great work.”

I welcome not only new residents to my home for profitable punters. I also leave the door open for those who may have, for a variety of personal reasons, taken a leave of absence from betting.

Thomas had been AWOL for a while but came back just in time. He saw online that I’d tipped 6 winners in the first two days and signed up again before he attended in person day three of the festival. Good move. On the Thursday he placed a bet with an amusingly named on course bookmaker called Billy Bongo. As you can see below, that worked out rather well for Thomas. Penhill was my 14/1 tip the night before racing and was backed on the day by punters, but Thomas still got a nice price on course. Well done.

Thomas contacted me afterwards to say:- “Hello Vern, it’s been a while. I haven’t been in the gambling game for a good 12 months (time has taken me elsewhere). I have had a last minute opportunity to go to Cheltenham. I’ve never been and I couldn’t turn down an opportunity to attend such a class event… and the tips paid off. Thank you.”

Andy also had a good time of things courtesy of taking time to read my detailed analysis and backing some of my selections. He said:- “What a fantastic 4 days Cheltenham was. Both for the quality of racing and my bank balance! Great analysis and picks. A huge thanks.”

Steve has been with me, on and off, for a long time. He knows that profitable punting is a marathon and not a sprint. He e-mailed me to say:-“Just a note of thanks for your fine tips for the Cheltenham Festival – made it all the more enjoyable. I was lucky enough to go on Thursday and had a profitable day as result. Thanks for all the research and hard work – appreciated. On to the Grand National now.”

Indeed. And the question all the VG Tips members are asking is:- “Can Vernon find the winner of the Grand National for the third successive year?”

It’s a question that will haunt me between now and Saturday April 14th. As always, I promise to do my best.